Context & Background (Frankenstein)

Biographical Context - Mary Shelley

Born in London in 1797 to radical philosopher, William Godwin, and Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Mother died 11 days after giving birth
In 1814 Mary met and fell in love with, Percy Shelley
She ran away with him to France and they were married in 1816 after Shelley's wife committed suicide
Percy was a prominent poet of the Romantic Movement
Mary was exposed to the same influences as her husband, and this Romanticism influenced her work
She wrote Frankenstein after Byron introduced a challenge to discern whom among the three writers --- Percy, Mary and Byron -- could write the best ghost story
How appropriate is it that the original idea for Frankenstein appeared to Shelley in a nightmare?
Frankenstein deals with loss, which Mary Shelley knew a great deal about
rowing up motherless, Mary also lost her sister to suicide, as well as losing three of her own children to miscarriage and early childhood deaths
In 1822 Percy Shelley drowned and Mary remained unmarried and died in London in 1851

General Overview

The Creature represents the dangers of science
Shelley uses the Creature to warn the Government against mistreating the masses
Creature, Luddites, French (1789) were treated badly – they rebelled
The Creature is a warning against the dangers of industrialisation – creating ‘monsters’ that cannot be controlled
Shelley uses the Creature’s education to criticise society

Historical Background

Scientific Background

Written at a time of rapid progress in the sciences:

Electricity
Anatomy
Scientists at the time were discussing the possibility of bringing the dead back to life

Key Themes

The desire for knowledge
The desire to understand and control nature
Pro-creation without a woman
Shelley is certainly warning of the dangers of pushing medical boundaries into realms where, in her opinion, they should not be pushed
Shelley provides a prediction of what would happen if humans held the secret of life. Danger of humans controlling life
Shelley provides a prediction of what would happen if knowledge is pursued recklessly and obsessively
Shelley is warning about the new science of the age

Social Background

1789 – French Revolution
This showed what happens when the lower classes are treated badly by the state – they rebel
First stages of the Industrial Revolution (threaten the Romantic ideals of the importance of the individual and nature)
Written at a time of social unrest. (e.g. Luddites)
The promise of freedom of the French Revolution soon gave way to the misery and suffering of the Industrial Revolution (see London) by Blake
The novel is perhaps the strongest reminder from the Romantic period of the dangers of industrialization – creating monsters we cannot control and dabbling with nature
Frankenstein remains a relevant analysis of the dangers of science, a sensitive, complex exploration of the tension between developing the mind and knowing too much, creating and playing the Creator, exploring new ground and crossing into forbidden territory

Key Themes

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